Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South-West, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Senator for raising this issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. I know how important University Hospital Limerick is to the people of the region. Clearly, it is a matter the Senator is passionate about and acutely aware of. She has presented her case well, especially her analysis of why there is a higher number of presentations at UHL, which is clearly the case.I will do my best to lay out the situation nationally and specifically that of University Hospital Limerick. A key priority of the Minister is to provide a seven-day health service to the public. Progress has been made over recent bank holiday weekends to ensure patients receive the care they need in a timely and efficient manner throughout the week. Services again undertook significant work in the week preceding the June bank holiday weekend to maximise discharges and patient flow, which was the key factor in ensuring most sites had sufficient capacity to meet demands over the bank holiday weekend. This resulted in 55% fewer patients waiting on trolleys at 8 a.m. over the June bank holiday weekend compared with the St. Brigid’s Day bank holiday weekend this year. Out of the total 29 acute hospital sites with 24-7 emergency departments, seven sites maintained a level of zero patients waiting on trolleys at 8 a.m. throughout the weekend, Saturday to Monday, inclusive. A number of sites continue to consistently achieve good operational grip, avoiding congestion and maintaining patient flow, such as Connolly Hospital, MRH Tullamore and UH Waterford. However, on Tuesday, 3 June, UHL reported 49 patients on trolleys at 8 a.m., making it one of eight sites in red status. From January to May 2025, attendances at UHL's emergency department were up 8% compared with the same period in 2024, and it is ranked highest nationally for overall emergency department attendances and admissions. The Senator eloquently outlined why that may be the case. The impact this has on patients and their families is something this Government is deeply committed to addressing.

In preparation for winter 2025, a large and ongoing programme of work is under way focusing on increasing capacity and improving patient flow. Crucially, more than 100 new beds are due to be opened at UHL in the coming year, while 16 beds completed construction at the end of May 2025 and are anticipated to open in quarter 3. The first 96-bed ward block is expected to complete construction in quarter 3 of 2025 and expected to be opened as soon as possible once completed. It remains to be seen whether that will happen in time for the winter. This additional capacity will be vital as we head into the winter period. Furthermore, a 16-bed unit was completed in December 2024, already contributing to increased capacity at the hospital. Enabling works for the second 96-bed block at UHL are progressing. A planning application was submitted for the second ward block in March 2025.

To enhance patient flow and avoid unnecessary emergency department presentations, several key interventions are being implemented. The medical assessment units at Ennis and Nenagh hospitals have had extended evening service hours since October 2024, providing additional weekly capacity for 34 and 22 patients, respectively. The virtual ward at UHL can now accommodate 25 patients. Work is under way to operationalise an emergency department in the home, EDITH, service at UHL. Community rehabilitation units in Ennis and Nenagh are already operational. The HSE CEO has explicitly asked regional executive officers to continue implementing seven-day working and extended hours across all services relevant to improving patient flow. This includes ensuring senior decision-makers are rostered on-site over weekends and in the evenings, leveraging the benefits of the public-only consultant contract which provides for rostered work from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Friday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays. Work continues to enhance discharge processes to support patients prior to 12 p.m. seven days a week. The urgent and emergency care operational plan 2024 provides a comprehensive framework covering hospital avoidance, emergency department operations, in-hospital care delivery and discharge management. That sets out some of the plans in place to try to increase capacity at UHL prior to the winter months.